Exploring Students’ Experiences in an AI-Supported Project-Based English Class

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines university students’ learning experiences in an English course that incorporated artificial intelligence tools within a project-based learning framework. Conducted over six weeks at a Korean university, the course involved eighteen undergraduate students from diverse non-English majors, none of whom were English majors and most of whom were lower-proficiency learners who utilized ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Naver Papago, and Natural Readers to complete collaborative projects on global inequality. Data were gathered through seventeen questionnaires, sixteen group journals, and seventeen reflection notes, then analyzed thematically. Findings revealed two primary experiential dimensions: supportive and challenging. In the supportive dimension, students reported enhanced engagement and confidence as they co-constructed knowledge through AI-assisted collaboration under teacher guidance. Students experienced new ways of organizing and expressing language while developing prompt literacy through iterative AI interaction. In the challenging dimension, participants described initial confusion in formulating AI queries and occasional over-reliance on generated outputs. The study emphasizes the critical role of systematic teacher facilitation, prompt construction instruction, and reflective practice in enabling learners to use AI tools meaningfully and responsibly in project-based English learning environments.